Islamic organizations support MUI call<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Several Islamic organizations have welcomed the
\nIndonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI) call for Muslims to choose
\nparties that fight for their interests, but one prominent Muslim
\npolitician said the call was as pointless as \"lighting a lamp in
\nbroad daylight\".<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Mosque Youth Activists (BKPRMI), the
\nCommunication Forum of Muslim Women's Organizations (BMOIWI) and
\nthe Khadijah Muslimah Movement issued on Thursday a joint
\nstatement calling on Muslims to vote for parties which fielded
\nMuslim legislative candidates who are trustworthy, democratic and
\ncommitted to the cause of human rights.<\/p>\n
\"Vote for parties with strong and clear commitments to fight
\nfor the interests of the ummah without sacrificing the interests
\nof the other elements of the nation,\" their statement said.<\/p>\n
K.H. Miftah Farid, an ulema in the West Java capital of
\nBandung, said the council's call was actually a form of political
\neducation. \"The public should be reminded that they do not only
\npunch the logo of a party, but support its legislators. The
\npublic need to really know the people that they choose.\"<\/p>\n
Yusril Ihza Mahendra, chairman of the Islamic Crescent Star
\nParty (PBB), said he did not believe his party would benefit from
\nthe call. \"The council only did something that it should usually
\ndo, as it serves as the vanguard of the morality of Muslims,\" he
\nsaid in Bandung.<\/p>\n
\"Now, if the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) exhorts
\nChristians to vote for Islamic parties, then my party would
\nbenefit,\" Yusril joked.<\/p>\n
Yusril said he did not believe Muslims would automatically be
\ninfluenced to choose Islamic parties, given there were at least
\n12 such parties in the list of 48 poll contestants. The same
\nsituation applies to nationalist parties, he said. \"Look at how
\nmany parties use the bull's head as their logo,\" he said.<\/p>\n
However, Yusril said MUI was merely doing its job. \"But, it
\nwould be up to the people (to vote or not to vote for Islamic
\nparties),\" he said. \"The council's (call) was (as pointless) as
\nlighting a lamp in broad daylight.\"<\/p>\n
In Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi, the local chapter of MUI and
\noffices of other Islamic organizations issued a statement
\nprotesting against PDI Perjuangan, whose activists tore a banner
\ninscribed with a hadith (saying of Prophet Muhammad) on Tuesday,
\nsaying the act reflected intolerance of differences.<\/p>\n
The banner was put up by Muslim students, who were questioning
\nfemale leadership. The MUI chapter leader, Sanusi Baco, said the
\nnext president should be good, intelligent, Muslim and male.
\n(30\/43\/swe)<\/p>",
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